Computer Security and Compliance

NodeZero from Horizon3.ai is a leading-edge penetration test (pentest) product family that can deliver continuous, simultaneous, automated assessment of your network so you can identify, prioritize, fix, and verify security weaknesses before malicious hackers can take advantage of them. Penetration tests permit you to work proactively to keep cybercriminals from hijacking data, disturbing operations, or causing monetary or reputational loss. (For information about penetration testing, see Progent's penetration testing services.)

NodeZero is able to emulate modern cyber attack techniques by relentlessly pivoting throughout your network and linking vulnerabilities until a clear attack vector is exposed. NodeZero then benignly exploits the security gap as proof of the gap, evaluates and prioritizes the possible damage that might be caused by an actual malicious attack, documents the findings, and generates AI-based guidance for remediation. NodeZero's reports point out systemic weaknesses where implementing a single fix can block several different attack paths. After you have removed the reported security gaps, you can execute NodeZero's 1-click validation feature to make sure your fixes were successful. NodeZero can automatically produce compliance reports mandated for SOC2, HIPAA, GDPR, and other common compliance standards.

Progent offers the services of a NodeZero Certified Operator (NCO) to assist you to plan and implement thorough penetration tests of your network perimeter and your internal IT infrastructure so you can accurately evaluate your current cybersecurity profile. Progent can help you to set up and run NodeZero pentests customized for your network environment, analyze NodeZero reports, and fix problems according to their potential for damaging your network. Progent can also assist you to develop a unified cybersecurity ecosystem that streamlines management and delivers maximum cyber defense for on-premises, cloud-based, and perimeter network assets.

Internal and External Penetration Tests
Internal penetration tests with NodeZero assume your network perimeter has been breached and carry out a pentest of your internal network infrastructure to find what security vulnerabilities may be present that expose your network to attack. To assist you to organize your remediation activity, the NodeZero dashboard makes it clear which internal vulnerabilities could inflict the most damage to your organization and which ones allow the most attack vectors. External penetration testing with NodeZero is cloud-based and uses the most current hacker techniques to breach your network perimeter.

Common Vulnerabilities that PEN Testing Can Help Uncover and Fix
Malicious actors continually check IT networks for weaknesses by using an ever-evolving set of utilities and techniques. Although there are many different kinds of security flaws, here are some of the most common issues malicious actors try to exploit:

• Apps that have not had current updates and security patches installed
• Code injection flaws that allow threat actors to input code in a web application that fools the application into carrying out malicious commands or providing access to important resources
• Zero-day vulnerabilities in software that neither the target organization nor the software vendor are yet aware of and consequently have not had time to create a solution
• Authentication vulnerabilities that make it easier to get inside a system or pose as a legitimate user
• Configuration vulnerabilities that create gaps in cybersecurity systems such as opening unsafe ports or leaving cloud storage buckets available to anyone with the correct address
• Unpatched operating systems security gaps
• EOL technology for which cybersecurity patches are no longer created
• SQL Injection
• Weak passwords
• Cross-Site Scripting
• Insecure Direct Object References
• Improper device configurations
• Stale objects
• Open systems access
• Outdated methodology deployments instead of modern leading practices
• Failure to implement out-of-band two-factor authentication (2FA secured communications (e.g. Man In The Middle Attacks)

Advantages of Progent's Penetration Testing Services
Progent offers low-cost external pentesting services on a single-time or ongoing basis. NodeZero's autonomous testing technology delivers fast results and provides a full assessment of your outward facing security profile. These "ethical hacking" services can provide a multitude of advantages.

• Compliance with Cyber Insurance Companies: For a growing number of cyber insurance providers, periodic pentest is needed to qualify for or keep a policy.
• Uncover Perimeter Vulnerabilities: External pentests help organizations discover vulnerabilities in their external-facing systems, such as websites, servers, and network devices.
• Realistic Threat Simulation: Penetration tests simulate realistic attack scenarios, offering companies a greater comprehension of their susceptibility to various security threats.
• Compliance Mandates: Many regulatory standards (e.g., PCI DSS, HIPAA, GDPR) mandate periodic security assessments, including external penetration tests. Ignoring these requirements can result in legal and financial consequences.
• Risk Mitigation: Identifying and fixing security gaps proactively can lower the risk of data breaches, financial losses, and damage to an organization's reputation.
• Third-Party Vendor Risk Assessment: Organizations can utilize external penetration tests to evaluate the cybersecurity of vendors, ensuring that these partners do not introduce vulnerabilities into the supply chain.
• Better Incident Response: A penetration test can help organizations fine-tune their incident response processes by identifying shortcomings in their ability to detect and respond to security incidents.
• Security Consciousness: Conducting penetration tests can improve awareness among stakeholders about the importance of security. This can also help teach them on safe online practices.
• Build a Security Baseline Evaluation: A pentest can establish a baseline for security, allowing organizations to compare the efficacy of security enhancements over time.
• Competitive Advantage: Demonstrating an emphasis on cybersecurity through regular pentesting can help you gain business advantage, indicating to clients and partners that their information is safe.
• Security Budget Rationalization: Pentest results can provide substantive evidence of the necessity of increased investment in security measures and products.
• Internal Policy Assessment: Companies can validate whether their internal cybersecurity policies are doing the job in preventing external attacks.
• Shrinking Attack Surface: By identifying and addressing security gaps exposed by a penetration test, companies can minimize their attack surface area and cause it to be more difficult for attackers to break into their systems.
• Attack Simulation: Companies can launch sophisticated but benign attacks, permitting their security teams to become accustomed responding to realistic attacks in a safe environment.
• Ongoing Improvement: Regular external pentests help organizations follow their cybersecurity enhancements in a fast-evolving threat landscape, helping them stay ready to handle the newest threats.
• Legal and Regulatory Cover: In case of a cybersecurity breach, possessing tangible proof of periodic pentesting efforts can provide a degree of legal and regulatory protection by evidencing due diligence in cybersecurity.

Contact Progent for Penetration Testing Consulting
For more information about Progent's services for NodeZero-powered penetration testing, call Progent at 800-993-9400 or visit Contact Progent.

Ransomware 24x7 Hot Line: Call 800-462-8800
Progent's Ransomware 24x7 Hot Line is designed to help you to complete the time-critical first phase in mitigating a ransomware assault by stopping the bleeding. Progent's online ransomware expert can help businesses to identify and quarantine infected servers and endpoints and protect undamaged assets from being penetrated. If your system has been breached by any strain of ransomware, don't panic. Get immediate help by calling Progent's Ransomware Hot Line at 800-462-8800. For more information, see Progent's Ransomware 24x7 Hot Line.